The Truth about Soy and Your Health

Believe it, I’m really daring to delve into the argument about soy. It’s a controversial topic these days, especially in the plant-based community, and there are many opinions on this mysterious bean – some good, some bad, and some really ugly. But don’t throw out your soy yogurt or tofu just yet! With a little extra education you can make your own mind up as to wether soy should be a part of your diet, or not. I certainly include it in mine on a daily basis (I couldn’t imagine my cereal without a good helping of soy!). In fact, organic, non-GMO soy foods can actually provide many benefits when eaten in moderation.

What types of soy are the best, and how much should we be eating?

I choose to consume a variety of minimally processed soy foods, including edamame, tempeh, tofu, miso and soy milk, all of which I consume 3-4 times a week with the exception of soy milk which I consume daily. Each of these foods are rich in nutrients, protein, antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, though almost all soy is genetically modified.For this reason, I almost always buy organicand search for non-GMO on the label. It’s also wise to look for stamps of approval since organic doest always guarantee 100% GMO-free food.

Eating soy products as nature intended (or as close as possible) can be extremely beneficial to our health in many ways. Soy is essential to a vegans health as proteinand soy also provides omega-3swhich are important for heart health. Whole soy foods are also easier to digest and taste a whole lot better than their processed cousins and the microflora in the fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh are your tummy’s BFF.

It’s best to keep processed soy products like faux chicken nuggets, soy hot dogs, burgers and meats to a minimum as they are not only processed but contain a heaping list of additives and preservatives as well. While these foods won’t kill you, they certainly aren’t the healthiest so shouldn’t become a dietary staple. Some people find them helpful when transitioning from a standard diet to a vegan/ diet which is fine! But the closer to nature you can eat, the better you’ll feel.

So, does soy cause cancer?

There have been horror stories and rumours in the plant based community stating that eating soy increases your risk of certain cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer, but the opposite is more likely. Recent research has shown that lung cancer patients that eat soy products have a better survival rate than those who have eaten less soy or no soy at all. Men who consume soy products have also been found to have a reduced risk of prostate cancer….and then theres the most commonly mistaken relationship between soy and boobs.

Studies show that women who regularly consume phytoestrogen and protein rich soy foods have a decreased risk of breast cancer. Soy potentially plays a protective role that may be due to its isoflavones (plant oestrogen’s) that may block some of the bodes oestrogen activity. It could also be the result of various phytochemicals in soybeans. To get the maximum effect of soys protection, studies have shown that healthy soy foods should be eaten during teens and adolescence, but thats not saying we should go crazy. Remember, quality and quantity always matter.

I don’t like soy – are there any alternatives?

While soy products can be a healthy part of your diet, if you are allergic (which is common), feel bloated after consuming soy or need to avoid soy for any other reasons, its not a crucial part of a vegan diet and can be eliminated without compromising your health. You can replace soy milks with almond, hazelnut, macadamia, rice and oat milks and plant protein and essential fatty acids can be found in a variety of beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, quino and whole grains. Remember to always check labels if you do have allergies.

While soy can be a convenient and healthy part of your diet, know that if you’re allergic (soy allergies are quite common), feel congested after eating it or need to avoid soy for other reasons, it’s not an essential part of a plant-based diet and can be eliminated without compromising your health. As I mentioned earlier, plant protein and essential fatty acids are found in a variety of beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, quinoa and whole grains. Soy-free milk, cheese and meat alternatives are widely available today. Be a label detective and choose products with a short list of ingredients you can pronounce. I opt for a variety of nut, seed and grain-based alternatives, such as almond milk, hemp milk, flax milk, nut cheese and grain products.

Wether or nor you decide to include soy products in your diet is your personal decision, but you can now make a much more qualified decision know you have these facts and a bunch of research under your belt.

Comments

Nice informative post! There’s so much rumour and speculation about all food things really aren’t there? Sadly soya milk has been hit quite strongly, which is not always entirely fair. As you said, moderation is key. And come on, the amount of rubbish people eat when it comes to fast food and sweets etc. you’d think they’d be bigger concerns out there…
I used to have soya milk every day with my porridge but then kind of fell in love with almond milk. I just preferred the taste. I do like tofu but I tend to avoid it and this is purely because I”m a bit clueless when it comes to cooking it and making it taste as nice as when I have it at restaurants.

TEAM SOY. I love soy. I totally agree that processed soy products should not be eaten as often. I grew up on soy because I did not like meat. The news uses ” CAUSES CANCER” as a way to get ratings. Correlation does not prove causation. If it did, everything would cause cancer right now. I’ve heard soy, grapefruit, citrus, etc. Shrugs.

thank you, thank you, thank you for the nutritional wisdom you provide — you seem to take huge topics and make the simple for people that don’t necessarily read up on either side of the issue (like me).

Soy is a big part of my diet too, in the same forms as yours. Mainly from edamame, and tempeh. I do like tofu once in a while, but I rarely drink soy milk. I’m an almond milk kind of gal. The processed soy in “fake meats” makes my body rebel so fast so I stay away from those. I think moderation is definitely the key as with EVERYTHING in like, but what do I know. 😉

I think a lot of the scare stories come from the US, and their food is less regulated (and more GMO etc too) and I think in the UK we get a bit caught up in it sometimes. I go through phases of using soya milk or almond milk, and I do have tofu on occasion although I am not that good at getting it flavoursome (whereas if I have it out I love it). Like you say, everything in moderation is important.

This is really interesting, thanks for sharing. So soy sauce- the type you put on Chinese food- is that good or bad?
Another stupid question, I get frozen soya beans and eat these quite often- are these the same thing as edamame?

Hi Lucy! I think the main issue (if any!) with soy sauce is that its high in salt, nothing else! And the edamame pictures in this post were frozen – thats the only ones we can get here in the UK as fresh are extremely rare. They are simply taken fresh from the pods and frozen (like peas). Hope that helps!